REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE CELEBRATED OUTSIDE OF COSTA RICA
Requirements for Registering a Marriage Celebrated Abroad:
-
Request Letter:
-
Written in Spanish, signed by the Costa Rican spouse.
-
Must include an email address (for receiving notifications) and a contact phone number.
-
-
Registration Form:
-
Complete and submit the registration form (attached as a draft).
-
-
Marriage Certificate:
-
The certificate must be recent (issued within the last 6 months) and apostilled.
-
If the certificate is not in Spanish, it must include an official translation into Spanish, also apostilled. It is recommended to request the multilingual or international version.
-
-
Identity Documents:
-
Valid Costa Rican identity card (both sides).
-
If one of the applicants is a foreigner, a copy of the personal information page of their valid passport is required.
-
Procedure:
-
Send a copy of the required documents to the email address CLOAKING to initiate the process.
-
Schedule an appointment:
-
On the day of the appointment, the Costa Rican spouse must be present and provide their identity card.
-
Present the original apostilled marriage certificate, and its Spanish translation if applicable. This document will remain with the Civil Registry.
-
Estimated Processing Time:
-
22 business days, starting from the date the documents are received by the Registration Section.
-
The Consulate sends a monthly update to the Supreme Electoral Court with the applications received during this period.
Recommendations to Expedite the Process:
If an individual shipment is required, please choose one of the following options:
-
Certified mail: Provide German postage stamps with a value of 7.20€ for shipment to Costa Rica.
-
Courier payment.
Consular Fees:
The process is free of charge.
Legal Basis:
- Organic law 3504 of the Electoral Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones) and Article 55 of the Civil Registry (Registro Civil).
